After a quiet opening 15 minutes, Nguyen Quang Hai nearly struck first for Vietnam. The skipper caught goalkeeper Mohammed Al Shamsi off-guard with curled free-kick from the right flank, but the Emiratis breathed a sigh of relief as the ball passed inches off the outside of the post.

Halfway through the opening period, the UAE were gifted a golden opportunity to take the lead when Nguyen Thanh Chung failed to clear a cross from the right, allowing Jassim Yaqoob to pounce on the loose ball, but the winger miscued his kick sending the ball wide.

A brace apiece from Suphanat Mueanta and Jaroensak Wonggorn helped the host nation breeze to a comfortable Matchday One victory at Bangkok’s Rajamangala Stadium, success which saw them go two points clear at the top of the Group A standings.

Shahad’s side picked up a point in the meeting with the Olyroos on Wednesday despite enduring a difficult pre-tournament preparation period due to the suspension of the Iraqi league, which has left many of his players short of match fitness.

But, with a game under their belts, the coach is confident his team will take a step forward at Thammasat Stadium as they seek to move towards a place in the knockout rounds.

Alaa Aldin Dali struck deep into stoppage time to earn his side a last gasp share of the spoils after the Syrians had been 2-0 down within 22 minutes of the encounter at the Thammasat Stadium.

Dali’s strike, coupled with a first-half effort from Abdul Rahman Barakat, capped a superb comeback after an error from goalkeeper William Ghannam and Yosief Mohammad’s own goal had threatened to cost Syria dear in their Continental opener.

With Team Melli Omid facing a 1-0 deficit at the interval, Estili introduced Ghayedi in place of Ali Shojaei, with the shift forcing Allahyar Sayyadmanesh into a positional change after he had led the line in the opening 45 minutes.

The reshuffle paid dividends, with Iran manufacturing five efforts on goal in quick succession after the break; pressure that ultimately produced Reza Dehgani’s equalising goal in the 58th minute.

With the match seemingly headed for a goalless draw, 58th-minute substitute Lee scored to snatch the win in the third and final minute of stoppage time, sending Kim’s charges to the top of the Group C table at the end of Matchday One.

Abdulrahman Ghareeb’s penalty two minutes from time sealed the three points for the Saudis as Al Shehri earned some personal payback for the defeat he suffered at the hands of the Japanese in the final of the AFC U19 Championship in Bahrain in 2016.

But while the Saudi coach would be forgiven for rejoicing at avenging that defeat – which came via a penalty shootout – he chose instead to look to the future, and the prospect of qualifying his country for the Olympic Games for the first time since 1996.